Wishes
by TheRebelFlower
Summary: As she goes to a festival with her friends Tomoyo cannot help but feel a little jealous of her cousin Sakura... ExT, SxS   Rated K to be safe, who knows.


Wishes

A Card Captors Sakura fanfiction

By Isabelle Saucier

isauciervideotron.ca

Author's note: a one-shot that popped into my head all of a sudden. SS and ET fluff warning!!

It was a beautiful fall evening, where it is comfortable enough that you do not need a coat to go out, yet, the foliage and shorter days indicated winter was not so far away. Four young people walked down the crowded pathway, enjoying the sights the festival they were currently at had to offer.

At first, they were able to walk side by side, but as they went, the passageway was narrower and they ended up in twos. The couple in the lead automatically held hands, both not to become separated and because any occasion to display affection to the other was welcomed by them. The young woman of the couple turned her head toward her best friend, who was following closely, "Hayaku, hayaku Tomoyo-chan, Eriol-kun!" she exclaimed with a happy smile before turning her attention forward to where they were going.

Daidouji Tomoyo smiled quietly at her friend Sakura's enthusiasm as she followed along, holding on to her handbag with one hand, and discreetly grabbing onto Hiiragizawa Eriol's shirt so as not to lose him in the crowd. If the young man noticed her gesture, he did not say anything about it, and Tomoyo did not expect him to. Ever since they had known each other in grade school, they had developed some form of quiet understanding that rarely required any words.

Eriol had come back from England a few months ago—alone with his guardians. He had been rather evasive about Mizuki Kaho's absence; Sakura and Tomoyo had not insisted on the topic out of politeness, and Syaoran simply did not really care to know what had happened (or at least gave such an impression) and the matter had been settled rather quickly. Since then, the young Englishman had been a quiet yet enjoyable companion in his friends' outings, and as Sakura and Syaoran's relationship was now quite obvious and had them show affection towards each other—sometimes taking them in their own, more private world—he had often been "matched" with the Daidouji heiress.

Tomoyo appreciated his somewhat forced companionship and had found out that their quiet complicity had not faded with the years Eriol had been to England. They acted respectfully and politely toward each other as both of them had been brought up with the highest social standards, but heir eyes and words often carried other meanings and inside jokes even Syaoran would not notice.

Sakura and Syaoran arrived at a kiosk where visitors could test their fishing skills and win prizes corresponding to whatever little bottles they took out from the water. Syaoran noticed right away that his girlfriend was admiring the prizes—plushies, what a surprise—and gave the attendant some money as Sakura expressed her joy by squealing and hugging him.

Tomoyo and Eriol waited patiently from the side as Syaoran failed his first attempt. His manly pride piqued, he paid the attendant for a second try and Sakura cheered him on. "Would you have wanted one, Tomoyo-san?" Eriol inquired in a gentle voice.

"No thank you kindly, Eriol-san," she replied, shaking her head.

Sometimes she felt ill at ease with the fact that the young Englishman was always so attentive towards her. She knew that his upbringing would dictate such actions and he was probably acting instinctively, but she did not like the idea of him having to do all this because they were together "by default". When she had mentioned it to him, he had smiled his boyishly charming smile and protested that he was more than happy to be of service to her and that she should not worry about it.

Tomoyo recalled that it was one of the rare occasions where she had been unable to read his face to see his true feelings. He had given her the "mundane" treatment and she had wondered why, but had not pried out of respect for him. That and she did not feel as much at ease as she would have with Sakura to push the issue.

She was pulled out of her reverie state when Sakura squealed at her boyfriend fishing out a small bottle. The young brunette jumped at Syaoran's neck, hugging him fiercely and kissing him as if he had done something extrordinary. Syaoran was visibly embarrassed, but smiling nevertheless. Tomoyo smiled in an almost motherly way at them, but felt a pang of loneliness and melancholy at the same time. "_This is uncalled for, control yourself!_" she scolded herself.

"Look Tomoyo-chan!" Sakura exclaimed holding a pink and fluffy teddy bear in front of her. "I can't believe I'm still so childish at times," she continued laughing good-naturedly and linking her arm with Syaoran's.

The young heiress fought the urge to do the same to Eriol. She suddenly felt lonely in front of the happy couple. As if sensing Tomoyo's unease, Eriol changed the subject. "Did you not want to go to the river pavilion, Sakura-san?" he asked.

Sakura consulted her watch. "You're right! We still have time. Which way is it?"

All four of the looked around until Syaoran pointed at a direction and began walking toward it. The river pavilion was a popular stop for the festival-goers. There, you could launch small boats carrying a lantern that would gown the river. It was said that if you made a wish as you launched your lantern-boat, your wish would be carried out and granted. If course, people knew it was folklore and that there was no truth behind this, but the colorful display it made was quite appreciated and one could not help but wonder if indeed there was some sort of magic going on.

The whole location had a very romantic feel to it, and Tomoyo could not help a surprising wave of jealousy enter her as she saw Sakura and Syaoran talk quietly amongst themselves and share a gentle kiss before heading toward the river kiosk attendant. She was not jealous at them because she would have wanted to be with Syaoran, but rather because they looked so good together that she felt left out. She knew that it was a childish reaction and that she was actually very happy for her friends, but in some situations, like the location and setting they were in now, it was quite easy to feel like an unwanted third wheel.

Tomoyo's social status and angelic beauty had somewhat made her into an untouchable princess and men did not approach her, she had noticed. Syaoran's protective nature toward her did not help her situation, and now Eriol's presence probably veered potential suitors away. She tried to suppress the negative emotions in her but failed miserably. "_I am probably destined to remain a spinster for the rest of my life—how ironic,_" she thought as Sakura and Syaoran stepped onto the lantern-boat launching area.

Eriol went to the attendant and purchased a lantern-boat, then handed it to her. He could feel something was bothering his companion, but knew that any attempt to find out what it was would make her raise her shields if not done correctly.

Sakura and Syaoran launched their lantern-boat by each holding onto one side of it. Ever the cheerful and optimistic one, Sakura clapped her hands happily, exclaiming "Bye bye little boat!" to which her boyfriend could hot help but give half a smile.

He stepped off the launching area and gallantly helped the young woman, which granted him a luminous smile and yet more gestures of affection from her.

Tomoyo stepped up on the launching area alone, as Eriol waited behind. She gracefully leant forward and put the lantern-boat on the water, not really bothering to wish for something. She watched the boat float away, then turned around and saw her two friends to her left watching the river, locked in a tender embrace. "_There! That is what I wish for! To be happy like that. I have never even been kissed before and as I see it, I probably will never be. I will never know what it feels like. How sad is that?_" she thought.

"Tomoyo-san?" Eriol inquired and her attention was moved to him. "Do you wish to come down?" he continued, holding out his hand in a gentlemanly fashion.

She had an odd, almost determined look on her face that convinced him that he should try to talk to her, perhaps during the fireworks when Sakura's attention would be drawn elsewhere for a while.

Tomoyo stepped forward, but instead of taking his hand, she paused. He saw her eyes flicker downwards as if she were looking as his chin for some reason. Had he missed a spot when shaving this morning? She would notice such details… He was about to say something when she quickly grabbed his head and kissed him. Then, almost instantly, she backed away with her hands to her mouth and her eyes wide.

To say that Eriol was surprised was an understatement and all he could do was gawk at her. Had Tomoyo been an outside observant to this situation, she would have found it extremely funny because Eriol was almost never surprised by anything. However, she was too ashamed and surprised herself by what she had done that she was busy fighting tears and the will to run away as fast as she could. They stared wordlessly at each other for what seemed like an eternity, but must have been only a few moments when an attendant murmured a polite "Sumimasen" and broke the spell. Tomoyo bowed in apology and hurried down the step, ignoring Eriol's still outstretched hand.

"What happened?" Sakura asked as she saw her two friends arrive with a strange expression on their faces.

Apparently, she had been busy elsewhere and had not seen Tomoyo's actions. The raven-haired woman felt some relief and managed to smile. "What do you mean, Sakura-chan?" she asked back in a sweet voice.

"Well, you seem a little strange. Daijoubu?"

Tomoyo jumped on the opportunity. "As a matter of fact, I think I will go home right away. My head hurts in a dreadful manner."

"Aww! We were having so much fun! You'll miss the fireworks!"

"That's quite all right, Sakura-chan."

"Do you want us to walk you home to make sure that you arrive there safely?"

"You two can stay here and enjoy the rest of the evening. I'll walk Tomoyo-san home," Eriol's deep voice cut in before Tomoyo could say anything.

The evening's darkness hid the fact that Tomoyo's face was bright red; refusing his offer would have seemed suspicious at this point—Syaoran was already looking at Eriol in a strange, slightly accusing manner—so she remained quiet. Sakura smiled. "Well, ok then, make sure to get plenty of rest and call me tomorrow so that I know you are better," she said before hugging her cousin.

"Thank you. I will."

Sakura and Syaoran left to find a nice viewing spot for the fireworks. The young man frowned and shook his head. "Something is missing in all of this. They were acting strangely," he said.

"We were with them all along, how can something have happened without us seeing it?"

"That's true, but…"

"Syaoran-kun, don't worry. Eriol-kun is with Tomoyo-chan; everything will be all right."

"_Somehow, this does not reassure me,_" the young man thought as he took Sakura's hand in his and led her through the crowd.

----

Tomoyo's shoes had suddenly become one of the most interesting things ever. She was simply mortified. Why had she done that? Because he was a handsome man paying attention to her and she felt pitiful? How undignified and stupid! "I will be honest with you, Tomoyo-san, I am at a loss for words," the young man said, visibly ill at ease.

"Gomen nasai, I have shamed the both of us in an inexcusable manner," she replied in a very soft voice, bowing.

He scratched his head. "I would not have used the word 'shame'…"

"Of course not, as you are a dignified gentleman."

"I am honored if that's what you think of me," he said, chuckling, which brought a small smile to Tomoyo's lips.

She began walking toward the exit of the festival grounds, Eriol soon following suit. The young woman had regained her serious expression and was obviously trying to avoid direct contact with her companion. Eriol complied with her desire for silence, but after a while, he could not help but let out a "Why?" while turning slightly toward her.

Tomoyo cringed and blushed. "You would expect me to wonder why I was suddenly the, er, the beneficiary of such an affectionate gesture from you, would you not?" he continued, blushing himself because as stunned as he had been, he still remembered the feeling of her lips on his and her discreet perfume that he had been able to smell at the same time.

"I would not expect less from you," she conceded.

He waited patiently for her answer while they walked. They were slowly making their way towards the Daidouji mansion and the streets were much less crowded. "I had noticed that something was bothering you even before that… could all this somehow be related?" he tried again.

"_Of course, he would have noticed_," she thought. "Your insightfulness impresses me as always. However, I can assure you that it is nothing to worry about, and I would beg you to forgive such a lapse on my part that was sudden and rude and most certainly not very agreeable," she stopped suddenly, realizing that she had just more or less implied that Eriol was a bad kisser. "_Can I ridicule myself further yet?_" she wondered. "Gomen for being so inappropriate," she said, making sure to look down and away.

They walked silently for a while. "Well, you did not give me much of a chance; I did not even know you were going to do that."

The young woman snorted in a very un-Tomoyo-ish way. "I will make sure to warn you next time."

"Sarcasm does not suit you."

She tucked a strand of her long ebony hair behind her ear, trying to look nonchalant, which was rather unsuccessful. "I must apologize again, for I have used you in a rather indelicate manner because I was frustrated and wanted to know what it felt like," she confessed.

Eriol frowned, his mouth forming an "o". He felt somehow honored, insulted and saddened at the same time. He was honored that she had chosen him for what apparently had been her first kiss, insulted that she had used him without his consent—especially considering that he would probably never be able to refuse her much—and disappointed that she had done this because she was frustrated rather than because she held tender feelings for him. He was not presently actively looking for a companion because his past relationship with Mizuki Kaho made him weary, but it would still be very flattering to know that Daidouji Tomoyo was interested in him. She had to be at least a little interested; she was not the type to go and kiss random guys, was she not? That last thought brought an uncomfortable feeling to his chest, even if he knew that Tomoyo's "random actions" were usually thought out beforehand. "At least Li-kun did not see it," he thought aloud.

Tomoyo's hand flew to her mouth. "Oh my goodness, you are right! I almost had you injured as well…"

"Hardly, my dear, do not worry," he replied, chuckling.

"I keep forgetting that you are a very powerful magic-user."

Eriol's face lit up with a beautiful, genuine smile. "Bless you for that; you have no idea of how happy your words make me!"

His face was rarely this expressive and Tomoyo could not help but smile back. "I apologize for cutting your evening short," she then said.

"We were stuck with a lovey-dovey couple that was hardly paying attention to us and it was boring."

The young woman's spontaneous "hohoho" laugh was a welcome sound, although she was not certain herself if it was due to the bluntness of his words or the truth in them. "You cannot say that!" she tried to protest.

"I most certainly can. And I can also see why you became frustrated and wanted to vent your emotions."

She let out another laugh. "Despite anything Li-kun might say, you truly are a gentleman."

"I take great pleasure in contradicting him."

They finally arrived at the Daidouji mansion gates and stopped on the sidewalk. "Thank you very much for walking me home," the young woman said with a gentle smile.

"It was my pleasure, as always."

"Hopefully we can forget tonight's incident rather quickly."

"Do not fret about that. Actually, my only regret is…"

He stopped talking and she looked up at him to see why. He actually seemed uncertain about something. "Could I… could I interest you in a brunch tomorrow, say around 10:30, at that really nice English restaurant I know?"

"If I can manage to wake Sakura-chan up in time, that…"

"I was not thinking of inviting them."

He watched as she processed the information in her head and his heart began beating wildly when understanding dawned on her face and she let out a small "oh!" He almost felt like schoolboy in front of his first crush and it felt both ridiculous an exhilarating at the same tine.

"I think that would be lovely. Eriol-san," she replied, a healthy blush coloring her pale cheeks.

"Excellent! I will be picking you up tomorrow then?"

"Hai. I will be looking forward to it."

The young man bowed politely. "I will be on my way now. I wish you a very good night."

"Oyasumi-nasai," she replied, bowing back.

He turned around and walked away. Tomoyo stayed at the gates to watch him and was surprised to see him come to a stop a few steps away. He turned around and walked back to her with an impish smile on his face. "You are right, you know."

"What about?"

"About forgetting tonight's 'incident'."

He leant forward and kissed her gently. He felt her gasp, but she did not move away. She even shyly kissed him back before he moved away. "I much rather you would remember that instead," he commented before winking at her and turning back to leave, this time for good.

The End… ?


End file.
